1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cart, and a carrier and a cart and a carrier combination of the type suitable for transporting medical equipment.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The need for medical equipment in intensive care and in other care is mainly governed by the patient""s condition. As used herein, xe2x80x9cpatientxe2x80x9d refers both to people and animals. The equipment configuration must be changed when the patient""s condition changes. At the same time, space around the patient is limited, and the possible need to move the patient to another location must also be kept in mind.
There is accordingly a need in the health care sector for an ability to configure equipment smoothly and simply and to adapt it to prevailing needs (any change in the patient""s condition, transport etc.).
An object of the present invention is to provide a cart for medical equipment, which can be smoothly and simply adapted to varying needs.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a carrier for medical equipment, which can be smoothly and simply adapted to varying needs.
Another object of the invention is to provide a cart and carrier combination making possible easy adaptation to varying needs for medical equipment for different purposes (intensive care, transport etc.).
The first object is achieved in accordance with the principles of the present invention in a cart for medical equipment having a receiving part adapted to receive a coupling element of a carrier for medical equipment, and a first locking part adapted to interact with a second locking part on the carrier for locking the carrier to the cart, the second locking part being movable toward the first locking part when the carrier is moved around a pivot axle formed by the coupling element after it is received in the receiving part, the receiving part being disposed so that no part of the carrier touches the floor after the carrier has been locked to the cart.
The design with a receiving part and a first locking part makes it possible to combine the cart with a carrier enabling equipment, occupying a minimum amount of space, to be taken to the desired location without impeding movement of all the equipment (cart and carrier).
The receiving part can be a groove with an essentially convex shape. This design makes interaction of the carrier and cart less sensitive, since the groove guides the carrier to the correct position, in relation to the cart, for locking the carrier to the cart.
The first locking part is suitably formed by two vertical channels with openings narrower than the width of the channels. One channel is sufficient, but two provide better symmetry and stability.
The second object is achieved in accordance with the principles of the present invention in a carrier for medical equipment having a bottom section, a back section and a pair of wheels arranged at the junction between the bottom section and the back section, the axle of the pair of wheels serving as a pivot axle and the back section serving as a lever for lifting the entire bottom section off of the floor when the carrier is transported, and having a coupling element adapted to be inserted into a receiving part on a cart, thereby forming a pivot axle for the carrier, and a second part adapted to interact with a first locking part on the cart to lock the carrier to the cart, the second locking part being movable toward the first part when the carrier is lifted around the pivot axle, so that no part of the carrier touches the floor after the carrier has been locked to the cart.
A design with a coupling arrangement and a second locking part makes it possible to combine the carrier with a cart, enabling equipment, occupying a minimum amount of space, to be easily taken to the desired location without impeding movement of all the equipment (cart and carrier). Since the coupling arrangement functions as a pivot axle and the back section as a torque arm, even relatively heavy equipment (such as gas cylinders) can be easily connected to the cart by lifting the carrier on the pivot axle.
The coupling arrangement can be a tongue with a slight bend or curvature, thereby keeping the carrier from sliding off the receiving part when the carrier is lifted. This thereby reduces the risk of accidents and injuries to staff and damage to equipment. The tongue can have an underside corresponding to the lower part of a convex groove on the cart. Coupling will then be more secure, and the locking parts are automatically guided towards each other when the carrier is lifted.
The second locking part can be a hook. This is particularly suitable when the first locking part is devised as a channel with an opening narrower than the width of the channel. Two hooks are suitably employed when two channels are arranged on the cart. The hooks are then suitably devised to point in opposite directions.
The hook(s) can be pre-tensioned with springs in the locking direction. Beveling the edges of the hooks makes it easy to insert them straight into the channels against spring force until they reach the locking position. A release device easily detaches the carrier from the cart by disengaging the hooks, and the carrier can then be lowered towards the floor.
Adapting the equipment to be carried is most suitably accomplished by providing the carrier with interchangeable mounting units. For example, the carrier could be equipped with a mounting unit for gas cylinders when a patient is to be moved to another location. The gas cylinders then supply a ventilator on the cart with gas during the move.
The third object is achieved in accordance with the principles of the present invention in a carrier and cart combination for medical equipment, wherein the carrier has a bottom section and a back section and a pair of wheels arranged at an axle at the junction between the bottom section and the back section, the axle serving as a pivot axle and the back section as a lever for lifting the entire bottom section off of the floor when the carrier is moved, the cart having a receiving part and the carrier having a coupling element which is received in the receiving part, and the carrier having a first locking part which interacts with a second locking part on the carrier to lock the carrier to the cart.